De Omroeper van Versailles, 1702 1692 - 1702

Curator: This print, "The Town Crier of Versailles," dates back to the late 17th or early 18th century and is held at the Rijksmuseum. It's unsigned, so the artist is anonymous. Editor: My first impression? Dramatic! He’s like a baroque rock star, complete with wild hair, announcing something very, very important. Curator: Important indeed! Notice the war ships in the background, which hint at this engraving's purpose—to promote recruitment into the French Navy during a time of intense maritime conflict. Editor: Oh, absolutely! And the dog! Isn't he interesting? Such a small animal, so alert, standing next to this... colossal figure of authority. It brings an intimate tone to the whole heroic picture. A lovely bit of reality sneaking into a pompous depiction. Curator: I see your point about the intimacy with the dog. I wonder how deliberate the juxtaposition really is, given the rampant social and economic disparity of the period? Consider the man's luxurious coat compared to the reality of the average recruit’s life in the French Navy. Isn't that interesting? Editor: That’s it—precisely! He proclaims from on high while an underdog strains upward, representing those without the option to avoid risking everything in the "King’s Name." What he is advertising with the horn is nothing else than war. Curator: Exactly! In this "history-painting-meets-cityscape" mashup, the artist provides the propaganda with ironic insight by using satirical representation to underscore potential disparities and inequalities embedded within recruitment strategies. Editor: Well, I suppose there’s no one single reading of the work. For me, there’s that poignant glimpse of ordinary vulnerability beneath the layers of power. What it reveals, however subtly, has value and pertinence in a historical reevaluation of French propaganda strategies and cultural production in the Age of Absolutism. Curator: And for me, this anonymous artist captured a moment—the theatrical, persuasive push behind empire-building. This "rock star" version of Versailles is how the town criers of yesterday might try to capture your imagination even today.